Developmental Language Disorder and Developmental Coordinati

Developmental coordination disorder is also called apraxia. This is a fairly non specific diagnosis. I think you need to have this clarified. I would recommend that you request an occupational therapy eval for the DCD and a speech eval for the language issues.
Also check out.

www.apraxia-kids.org

There is absolutely a connection. I apologize in advance to all those who are tired of reading me recommend this book over and over again, but you need to read Dr. Jacqueline Stordy’s book: The LCP [long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids] Connection: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyspraxia and Dyslexia. You can order the book at amazon.com and you can also go to her website www.drstordy.com.

The research evidence is mounting that essential fatty acids, necessary for critical brain functions, are often deficient in people with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia (verbal and physical), depression and other mental illnesses. When supplemented, most children improve in the first 12 weeks of nutritional therapy. EFAs won’t CURE all of these problems but they can make a big difference.

Linda,

I’d like to offer one comment: you say “when supplemented most children improve in the first 12 weeks of nutritional therapy.” I don’t believe that the research supports that “most children” with ADHD, dyspraxia or dyslexia, improve with EFA supplementation, although there is evidence that some may show improvements. This is one of those areas where the research indicates promising results that need to be followed up to determine whether those results can be replicated and exactly the population likely to respond and to what degree improvements might be seen. Also, anyone considering any kind of supplement should consult a physician about potential safety issues and interactions with medications. For example, EFA supplements containing evening primrose oil should never be taken by those with a seizure disorder because of the danger of lowering the seizure threshhold.

Andrea

I should have said, “if this is going to make a difference for your child, you will see results within 12 weeks.” No, it won’t help everyone. However the studies on children with ADHD, especially those done in Britain are compelling. The anecdotal results for children with delayed speech were so compelling that Cherub, an organization dedicated to apraxia research and support, is involved in facilitating scientific studies. I think their web site is www.apraxia.net.

According to Dr. Stordy (at the time of publication of her book), there is no substantiation to the claim that there is a problem with evening primrose oil lowering the seizure threshold. It ranked with urban legend. If you have a citation from a scientific journal, I would be very interested to read it. In any case, if someone wants to avoid supplements with evening primrose oil, there are many essential fatty acid formulas that do not contain it.

No one should supplement their child with anything without learning an enormous amount about it. A good starting point is Dr. Stordy’s book. I have also consulted with a reputable and highly qualified nutritionist and well as my son’s nephrologist (kidney doctor—my son had a kidney transplant). Our doctor approves of all of our nutritional interventions and has even started “prescribing” some of them for some of his other patients.

Herbal Medicines and Epilepsy: The Potential for Benefit and Adverse Effects [Record Supplied By Publisher]
2001 Dec;2(6):524-532 (ISSN: 1525-5050)
Spinella M

The widespread availability and use of herbal medicines raise the potential for adverse effects in the epilepsy
population. Herbal sedatives (kava, valerian, chamomile, passionflower) may potentiate the effects of antiepileptic
medications, increasing their sedative and cognitive effects. Despite some antiseizure effects in animal models, they
should not be used in place of standard seizure medications because efficacy has not been established. Anecdotal,
uncontrolled observations suggest that herbal stimulants containing ephedrine (ephedra or ma huang) and caffeine
(cocoa, coffee, tea, mate, guarana, cola or kola) can exacerbate seizures in people with epilepsy, especially when
taken in combination. Ginkgo and ginseng may also exacerbate seizures although the evidence for this is similarly
anecdotal and uncertain. St. John’s wort has the potential to alter medication pharmacokinetics and the seizure
threshold. The essential oils of many plants contain epileptogenic compounds. There is mixed evidence for evening
primrose and borage lowering the seizure threshold. Education of both health care providers and patients is the
best way to avoid unintentional and unnecessary adverse reactions to herbal medicines.
Language: English
MEDLINE Indexing Date: 200300
Publication Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE
PreMedline Identifier: 0012609386

This is the abstract for Dr. Stordy’s most recent study:

Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Jan;71(1 Suppl):323S-6S (ISSN: 0002-9165)
Stordy BJ
School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom. [email protected].
Dyslexia is a widespread condition characterized by difficulty with learning and movement skills. It is frequently
comorbid with dyspraxia (developmental coordination disorder), the chief characteristic of which is impaired
movement skills, indicating that there may be some common biological basis to the conditions. Visual and central
processing deficits have been found. The long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) are important
components of retinal and brain membranes. In the preliminary studies reported here, dark adaptation was shown to
be impaired in 10 dyslexic young adults when compared with a similar control group (P < 0.05, repeated-measures
analysis of variance); dark adaptation improved in 5 dyslexia patients after supplementation with a docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA)-rich fish oil for 1 mo (P < 0.05, paired t test on final rod threshold); and movement skills in a group of 15
dyspraxic children improved after 4 mo of supplementation with a mixture of high-DHA fish oil, evening primrose oil,
and thyme oil (P < 0.007 for manual dexterity, P < 0.02 for ball skills, and P < 0.03 for static and dynamic balance;
paired t tests). The studies were small and had designs that did not allow firm conclusions to be made. However,
when considered with other evidence from another closely related condition, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,
for which reduced ability to elongate and desaturate the essential fatty acids linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid to
arachidonic acid and DHA, respectively, has been proposed, the studies suggest that more research, including
double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, would be useful to clarify the benefits of LCPUFAs in dyslexia and other
closely related conditions.

So do you think that proponents are overstating the extent of research support?

I have thought of trying this with my son but don’t know if I can stand trying to get him take fish pills. He is dyslexic and has some mild dyspraxia.

Beth

Well, I think the people selling this stuff are using a little information to support a lot of conclusions. I also think that you have to take into account that Dr. Stordy is selling something. There was an interesting article in the Washington Post this week about being wary of medical information from internet sites that are marketing a product. In fact, some of Dr. Stordy’s research was done while she was working for the Efamol company, which makes Efalex, an EFA supplement marketed for ADHD.

Now, lots of research is conducted by those who are marketing a product,and that alone doesn’t mean it isn’t valid, especially if it is peer reviewed, etc. It is just something to remember when evaluating your choices. I’m not saying that she isn’t on to something, only that more research is needed to show that it is a good choice for most ADHD suffers. It might be a very useful thing for some kids, but we don’t yet know who those kids are and exactly how useful it might be.

You are obviously a very savvy parent, as are many people who frequent this board. You do your research and are therefore empowered to make intelligent choices. Some, however, are newer to the game, or haven’t done enough research. These folks may think that supplements of some kind, not just EFAs, will be a quick fix. They may spend a lot of money and they may not pursue other treatments that are known to be effective (and I’m not just talking about meds.) They may also have a kid who is at risk from some of the ingredients. If they don’t talk to a physician, because they don’t understand that supplements are medications too, then there could be problems. That’s why I keep posting these kinds of comments.

For what it is worth (and anecdotal information isn’t worth all that much), I actually gave my son Efalex for a year (with the approval of my pediatrician) and saw no effect, other than that his eczema improved. My son is severely dyspraxic, has allergies, dry skin, inattentive ADHD symptoms, is mildly dyslexic, pretty much all the “symptoms” that EFA proponents suggest may be improved with treatment. It didn’t work for us though. In many ways, he became even worse, not because of the Efalex but because we were not pursuing other treatments with a better track record for effectiveness.

As far as I’m concerned, the bottom line is give it a whirl, if your doctor thinks it is safe, and if the relative costs and benefits persuade you that it is worth doing.

Andrea

Beth,

My son couldn’t take the pills so we used something called coromega an orange flavored packet which did not really work.

I saw a big improvement with eggs that are high in essential fatty acids (there are specific types and you have to buy the right ones). It could be the protein as well.
He said he was sick of eggs so we stopped over the last 2 weeks. He had a major tantrum the other day and I was really caught off guard because he hasn’t had one of those in a long time. He also was struggling with concentrating on his homework with something I knew he knew how to do.

I think all kids are different.

Andrea,

Your son really sounds like he has a food sensitivity. Have you ever taken him to a doctor who tests for that? Did he have difficulty with milk products as a baby, spitting up etc.?
I have the name of a doctor that I might go see. It is a pretty involved process but worth it to me if we can address the actual problem. My son does not have the dry skin and other symptoms though. I think seeing this type of doctor is really best rather than experimenting.
I wish more doctors took a more holistic approach. Most just treat the symptoms with meds etc.

I have to get him back on the eggs.

Linda,

Thanks for the information. My son has been evaluated by an allergist, including testing for food allergies. Nothing showed up with respect to foods, although he has dust mite, mold and pollen allergies. Over time, the skin problems got much better, though the other allergies remain. I haven’t ruled out food sensitivites though. What should I look for in a reliable specialist in that field? By the way, we use those eggs too, and I try to incorporate foods into our diet that provide omega 3s and 6s, like salmon, olive oil, canola oil, avocado, nuts, etc. My kids don’t much like the salmon, though …

Andrea

My children don’t like any fish. I had the little one on tuna for awhile then his brother told him, “It stinks.”

The doctor who does this in my area (he is in stockton New Jersey, near Pennsylvania) has a holistic center attached to his practice. He is an MD but also addresses holistic health issues in children.

The reason I haven’t done it yet is that there is a long evaluation I have to fill out that I haven’t gotten around to yet. My son also just doesn’t seem to have food sensitivites as they were described to me. He does seem to have a need for a high protein diet related to some hypoglycemia. He gets moody when he goes without food. It was explained to me that protein takes longer to breakdown and causes less of the highs and lows in blood sugar that can be seen on the typical high carb diet most kids are used to.

I got this doctor’s name from a practitioner that does this for autistic children. She evaluates lead levels, mercury, food sensitivities all possible causes. I have a friend whose autistic child saw an incredible turn around through her. I also know of a few others who talk of her as a miracle worker. Turns this boy had no food allergies but had food sensitivities to a long list of foods. She mentioned the dry skin and also dark circles around the eyes as indicators. She also said that kids crave what they are sensitive too.

I honestly don’t know what to tell you except you could look for a DAN doctor in your area. DAN is an association of physicians who address the holistic needs of mostly autistic children. I don’t know if inclusion as a DAN doctor is any guarantee though. There could be some quacks in that group.

At one point I spoke to the audiologist who does Neuronet therapy with him about doing it. She told me that some of the parents she works with have tried it but none have had really good results. She told me she thought that was because of the particular types of kids she works with.

We did do a six month fling with Chinese medicine, on the recommendation of the audiologist who had, out of desperation, tried it with her own Down’s symdrome child. Dreadful stuff but it really seems to have made a major change in his health. He used to have negative ear pressure on a regular basis and nothing we tried seemed to help. And when he had the negative ear pressure, his ability to learn (which is already impaired) really dropped.

The advantage of the chinese medicine route is it was temporary but it didn’t do anything for other symptoms.

I had a different audiologist we have worked with take her child to a doctor such as Linda described. She was not impressed at all, which persuaded me not to go that route. I suspect there is a tremendous amount of variation and you have to use your own judgment.

Beth

What kind of eggs? My son used to love eggs and then wouldn’t eat them for a long time. He will occasionally eat them now. I give him mozzaella cheese and turkey with his cereal now. I honestly don’t know how much it affects him but theoretically it makes sense to have some protein in the morning.

Beth

The farm near me is called egglands best. I don’t know if that company is is FL. Some of the cartons say that they have essential fatty acids and reduced cholesterol.

I believe this is achieved by feeding the chickens a vegetarian diet but I am not 100% sure.

If apraxia is a problem with your ten year old. You’ll learn that it is rarely by itself, it is most often accompanied with another disorder. I didn’t realize this for years with our son and only tried to address the DAS. Investigate with a specialist, Apraxia Kids is the best web site for apraxia.